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EDITORIAL

Pottstown Borough Hall

Our scuz-busting friend, the Golden Cockroach, has more horrific news about the results of the absentee extractive investors who have taken over large numbers of properties in Pottstown. These folks buy up homes for “cents on the dollar” and rent them to anybody who will pay their rent in “cash”, **wink, wink. The properties are not maintained and the tenants are left to run wild and terrorize their neighbors.

The typical absentee extractive investor lives in a large suburban home, in a township where mostly upper middle class white folk congregate. They take their wads of “rental cash” and do “fun stuff” like take vacations to tropical locations with municipal employees (who also make wads of cash thanks to the overburdened taxpayers in Pottstown). While these folks are sunbathing, and having drinks with little umbrellas in them, back at the ranch all hell is breaking loose. OR when they aren’t sunbathing and having funky beverages south of the border, they are at home in their virtually crime-free suburban communities reading about Pottstown’s ills in the Mercury.

Meanwhile, Pottstown is falling apart and these rental properties are crumbling off their foundations. HOWEVER, unless “I” live next to a problem rental property it’s not my problem. These properties somehow pass inspection, they are somehow issued occupancy permits and everybody is happy. Well, except for the people who live in Pottstown and are being terrorized by these tenants who aren’t properly vetted before being allowed to occupy said rental properties. But again, unless it directly impacts me, it’s not my problem. RIGHT?

Apparently, this is the attitude emanating from Pottstown Borough Hall. This attitude comes across loud and clear when you read the latest post from the Golden Cockroach. You should be utterly incensed by the complete disregard for the residents of Pottstown. This stunning information confirms what we have always thought. The fact that it was said out loud by a municipal employee makes us sick.

The result of this blatant contempt for Pottstown is crime. Evidently, we can now add dog fighting to the list of heinous crimes being perpetrated in Pottstown and ignored by the very folks who are paid to look after the interests of the taxpayers. Why? Because many municipal employees do not live in Pottstown and these problems do not impact their quality of life. Ergo, it’s not my problem. They can read the Mercury on their iPad while they sip their morning latte from the safety of their suburb. After reading about “life in Pottstown” they can head into the office for another fun-filled day of work “screw over the taxpayer” behind bullet-proof glass. We think that’s a game like “pin the tail on the donkey” but we aren’t 100 percent sure. Can you hear them cackling as they drive over the borough line with their big fat paychecks?

So we have people with virtually no interest in seeing Pottstown revitalize running the show. These same people are allowing absentee extractive investors to make large profits at the expense of the fine folks who do live in Pottstown (and who pay very high taxes for these stellar municipal services brought to you by people who don’t give a shit crap).

Crime is running rampant and no matter now many miniature golf courses you build, you are still putting lipstick on a pig. Don’t get us wrong, miniature golf is fun and we expect to try it out soon, however there are far more important issues that need to be addressed. CRIME and JOBS should be the TOP priority of the municipal government. The job market should be high and crime should be low! It’s ass-backwards in Pottstown! It’s time for the taxpayers to say “enough” and hold these co-perpetrators accountable for Pottstown’s ruination.

Please take a few minutes to read Golden Cockroach’s latest post. Please watch the video about the animal abuse and dog fighting if you haven’t already seen it. The video is included in the post for your convenience.

POTTSTOWN — Issues of low-income housing concentrations and economic development are likely to command the agenda Monday when the Montgomery County Commissioners come to town as part of their ongoing “listening tour.”

The meetings serve as a way for residents to get answers and for the commissioners to get a sense of issues their constituents care about as a way to inform important decisions, particularly budget decisions, said Frank Custer, the county’s communications director.

It is the fourth of five such meetings set up around the county that so far have attracted moderate interest from the public, according to Custer.

City council voted recently to reinstate a public-shaming program aimed at irresponsible landlords.

The new law requires the city’s Bureau of Building Inspection to identify the 10 most dilapidated structures and the Department of Public Works to put up signs with the owners’ names, addresses and phone numbers.

Editor’s note: Some very interesting reading from our friends over at the Golden Cockroach in Pottstown!

Sharingcertain characteristics with vampires, this member of the cimicidae family of insects is always an uninvited guest that moves into your home unannounced – takes up residence in your bed (your sanctuary) – and multiplies like crazy…

the right answer will give you no points, no dollars and whole lot of hassle. Let’s talk about sshhhhhhhhhh bed bugs. The conversation will be most effective if it includes Borough leaders, School leaders, County, State leaders each and every landlord / tenant / homeowner / business.

POTTSTOWN — The borough’s efforts to make property owners bear more of the burden of repeated police calls to properties with misbehaving occupants will take another step forward Monday when council is set to vote to advertising a toughening of the “charge-back” ordinance.

Already on the books, the ordinance levies a charge for police services when officers are called too often to the same location for disturbances.

The problem with the existing ordinance, Police Chief Mark Flanders has said, is that it exempts too many categories of criminal activity from the burden.

In April, Borough Solicitor Charles D. Garner Jr. was tasked by council’s safety committee with finding ways to close those loopholes.

On Saturday, June 30th, the Mercury published a piece on Pottstown’s first Open Slum House Tour. Members of Pottstown Borough Council were invited to come and see first hand the horrific living conditions in a rental unit at 501 King Street. The rental unit was issued a permit by Pottstown’s Codes Department.

An open house was held on Saturday afternoon from 2:00pm to 3:30pm and hosted by Katy Jackson, a King Street resident and community activist.

What I am about to report is typical and totally disheartening. Only one Borough Councilor showed up! Fifth Ward Councilor Dan Weand! Councilor Weand was accompanied by his wife Polly (a Pottstown School Board member). John Armato, Pottstown School District Director of Community Relations also attended the open house. Thank you Dan, Polly and John for taking time out of your Saturday to give a damn about Pottstown!

(The elephants in the room)

Where in the hell was Pottstown Borough Council President, Steven Toroney or First Ward Councilor Mark Gibson, whose ward contains the offending property?????????????????

Pottstown’s Codes Department apparently deemed this property A-OK and issued a permit for the owner to rent the property. Considering the horrific state of the property in question, does this not make you wonder exactly what metrics borough codes employees are using? Would you want to live in a house of horrors like this? Is this not a huge red flag that there might be a problem? Is this not indicative of a broken process?

As an elected official, whose job it is to serve the taxpayers of Pottstown, taking an hour out of your Saturday to get first hand knowledge of a serious problem should be a top priority. It would have been prudent to notify Mrs. Jackson that you had a prior commitment that precluded your attendance so as not to appear indifferent to the plight of the people who elected you into office!

Based on the pictures and description of the property, it sounds like it should be condemned and torn down, not given a rental permit!

Steve, if you aren’t up to the task of being Pottstown Borough Council President, we think you should step down. We see no evidence of leadership, no vision and no way forward being presented. Sitting in your North End home and ignoring everything south of Wilson Street isn’t much of a strategy.

Pottstown is spiraling out of control. Key employees are leaving, councilors are resigning, crime is high, poverty is high, slumlords and Section 8 housing are pulling Pottstown down while property and school taxes go up, up, up… Is the goal here to become the next Pennsylvania community accepted into the Act 47 program for financially distressed municipalities?

There was just a home invasion in the 800 block of Queen Street. There are too many shootings. There are hookers and drug dealers lurking in the alleys of the core neighborhood. There are tumbleweeds blowing down High Street. Borough Council does not support the few struggling businesses downtown nor does Pottstown enforce laws for loitering and panhandling which deter shoppers, diners and theatre patrons. There is a homeless problem you refuse to deal with and the list goes on and on.

Pottstown deserves a Borough Council who is willing and ABLE to lead the community down the road to prosperity. Those who can’t should step aside and let those who can DO!

Sticking one’s head in the sand and ignoring all the warning signs is not what you were elected into office to do. People expect action. People expect and want change for the better. Status quo is not an option. Neither is taxing people to the point of having to choose between paying taxes or buying food and medicine. Look at all the for sale signs around town. Look at the abandoned properties where homeowners have simply walked away. All is not well! Get a clue!

Editor’s note: We can not stress enough the importance of Mr. Toroney and his fellow Councilors taking an hour out of their day to see this in person. This is the tip of the iceberg and we think it is HIGH TIME that Pottstown Borough Council starts walking the talk and demonstrating in a tangible way that they have some inkling of interest in the citizens they respresent! You all could use some street cred!

Thank you to Katy Jackson for continuing to stand vigilant and taking on a job that nobody else is willing to tackle!

POTTSTOWN — It’s supposed to be a warm Saturday afternoon, how about taking in a nice open house?

Well you might find it interesting, but it seems unlikely anyone would use the word “nice” to describe it.

From 2 to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, activist Katy Jackson is inviting anyone interested — and the members of borough council specifically — to come and see the conditions in which a resident of Pottstown has been living at 501 King St.

“Monday I was invited to see the living conditions that a couple have endured for several months,” Jackson wrote in her invitation to council members, which was copied to The Mercury.

Editor’s note: Will we ever see a headline like this with POTTSTOWN in it?????

Mayor Sal Panto Jr. believes there is much to applaud in Easton, Pa. — a falling crime rate, promising redevelopment projects — but also much yet to do.

Panto outlined his vision for 2012, and mentioned some of the successes of 2011, in a “state of the city” speech Wednesday night before City Council, noting an 11 percent drop in crime overall, and a 37 percent drip in violent crime since 2006.

“Easton is becoming safer for families,” Panto said.

It is a theme he has stuck with in the march to redevelop the downtown into a place to work, eat and live, not just visit from time to time. Panto talked in the speech of a 24/7 downtown, which he said can only happen with new development drawing in full-time residents.

Teri Lyn Jensen-Sellers and Katy Jackson, both neighborhood residents, organized a rally today to protest “landlord” Andrew Soule’s $10,000+ in back payments for sewer/water/trash to the Borough of Pottstown and the condition of his buildings in the 400 block of King Street. Reporters from The Mercury, The Pottstown Patch and Roy’s Rants were on hand to document the effort of this group to draw attention to this huge problem plaguing Pottstown. Absentee landlords with blighted properties and overdue bills are straining Pottstown’s already stressed tax base.

The Borough of Pottstown is owed over $700,000 in back water/sewer/trash payments from 200 people. The top 10 people on the Pottstown Wall of Shame owe nearly $200,000. As Pottstown Borough Manager Jason Bobst has stated, “It’s all the same people that we see time and time again.” Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski uses the Hall of Shame tactic in Allentown very successfully. Mrs. Jackson recently attended a webinar on this subject hosted by Allentown’s mayor to learn more about how other towns and cities are coping with this problem.

Mr. Soule was evidently on the scene when the first protestors appeared, but left upon their arrival. Mrs. Jensen-Sellers questioned a man but he denied being Andrew Soule. A neighbor stated it was Mr. Soule after the man departed.

Sixth Ward Councilor and Man of the People, Jody Rhoads was on the scene as the sole representative of Pottstown Borough leadership along with Gallery on High/Gallery School co-founder Cathy Paretti and Andrew Monastra, a real estate lawyer with an office in the borough. A Code Blue member was in attendance as well as other concerned borough residents.

I interviewed two former tenants of Mr. Soule, both of whom had unpleasant dealings with the landlord.

Both Mrs. Paretti and Mr. Monastra shared their feelings about doing business in Pottstown and the challenges of being a business owner here. Both see the potential Pottstown has to offer but understand that many things need to change before Pottstown can follow in Phoenixville’s footsteps.

Are you sick of slumlords renting to anybody that breathes and can pay their rent (not doing criminal background checks)?

Are you ready to make a statement that Pottstown residents are ready to take back their town?

If so, a group is gathering tomorrow, Friday, August 26th at 5:30 pm in the 400 block of King Street, between Franklin and Washington Sts. This event is for anyone who is ready to say ENOUGH! There will be a press conference and protest to demand that these deadbeats pay up or get the hell out of Pottstown!

Councilors Allen and Gibson were not in attendance. (Councilor Allen arrived late, after the roll call was taken.)

Minutes were approved.

Comments from the peeps (full house tonight)

A member of the Human Relations Committee requested locks on doors and file cabinets. Currently they have neither and sensitive documents are stored at committee member’s homes. They also requested a computer and a database. (Now there’s a thought in 2010!!)

A condo owner from the Light Foundry complex told council that the condo owners pay their association fees each month to a manager who is supposed to be paying the bills for the complex. This person is not doing that. Their water is scheduled to be shut off this month. They cannot afford to pay their bills twice. They owe the borough $13k! They are paying $200 a month for association fees that should cover water/sewer/trash.

A resident from E. Second St. said there is trash everywhere and the rental/Section 8 people make a mess. The street is mostly renters.

A property owner spoke against the new rental ordinance. He said he feels the Sunshine Law was broken and that the ordinance content has changed since being presented to the property owners. He also stated that the ordinance does not meet the plain language guidelines as dictated by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

A Pottstown landlord and realtor said she hears all the time that Pottstown is too difficult to work with from investors and prospective homeowners are also not interested in Pottstown. She also objected to some language in the new rental ordinance.

Another landlord said he felt the Sunshine Law was broken by Council and the Borough Manager. President Toroney vigorously defended Council and Jason by stating that this has been discussed at the last 5 or 6 public meetings and in many committees for months. Council has been continuously advised and given drafts of the ordinance in progress. Pottstown’s new rental ordinance is based on the Gettysburg Pennsylvania ordinance.

Another opponent of the rental ordinance spoke. She said she doesn’t think Pottstown has sufficient code enforcement officers to enforce the new ordinance. The new ordinance gives Codes the power to direct landlords to evict tenants.

Mary Beth Lydon (Code Blue) spoke against the low-income riverfront senior housing project. A petition was presented to council with over 70 signatures opposing the senior project. Many people Code Blue talked to at the River Festival on Saturday were not aware of this project and did not support it. She also outlined this demonstrated a lack of communication from the borough to its residents.

Another investor/landlord spoke against the proposed rental ordinance. He referred to it as heavy-handed.

Yet another investor spoke against the rental ordinance. He said it was draconian. There are provisions for jail time for infractions. He feels this ordinance is a turn-off to investors.

A previous Pottstown landlord spoke against the proposed rental ordinance. It gives Code Enforcement too many powers and Pottstown doesn’t enforce the code already on the books so why are we adding more?

Another speaker was against the proposed rental ordinance, especially the security deposit language (he wants that deleted). It’s open season on landlords. The ordinance is heavy-handed and favors owner occupant vs. investors.

Another Pottstown landlord requested common language be used.

Katy Jackson (Code Blue & CPR) spoke about a property at 117 Washington St. The police have been there 10 times since January! Three police visits occurred between 9/10 & 9/11 (fight). The renters are dangerous and have weapons. The neighborhood needs stabilized. She again called for a Task Force to be created to handle this problem. Katy stated that Code Blue & CPR want the good landlords to stay in Pottstown! She also spoke against the low-income riverfront senior housing project stating that Pottstown already has enough of this type of housing and adding more will create a stigma. We can do better!

A North Charlotte Street resident complained to council about illegal activity (drug use, loitering and a shooting) in her neighborhood. The police are called but if they don’t see it, they can’t write up a report. Between January and June of this year she called the Pottstown Police Dept. 20 times. The problem is a rental unit and the tenants.

A resident spoke in favor of the low-income riverfront senior housing project.

The Rector of Christ Episcopal Church spoke in favor of the low-income riverfront senior housing project.

A neighbor of the woman on N. Charlotte Street said he wishes he could move. Ever since the shooting, right in front of his house, he feels unsafe and is very worried about his children. He won’t allow them to be downstairs and they avoid windows. They were home the night of the shooting, which occurred right in front of their living room window. He stated he now owns a gun. He has gotten into altercations with the rental tenants. He stated no police came after the shooting was called in. He said it was caught on surveillance tape.

Whew! That was a LOT of speakers!

Mayor’s report – Puppies and sunshine everywhere. All is well.

Manager’s report – Construction has begun on the Norfolk Southern bulk transfer station on South Keim St. We can expect the railroad crossing to be upgraded as the result of construction (Hallelujah!).

There will be a store front wiindow decorating contest downtown for Christmas.

There is a cooperative effort between PSD and the borough to rehabilitate 22 E. Second Street, using PSD students.

There is a group that uses the Schuylkill River to promote tourism and marketing for towns in our area. Jason attended their meeting.

As a result of the First Suburbs initiative Pottstown, Norristown and Coatesville are talking about Section 8 housing issues such as vouchers and inspections with HUD.

If all goes well in November they can advertise for the new PAID Director position. That won’t come SOON ENOUGH IMHO!

Due to declining attendance, Jason is looking to have one last joint Ward meeting on November 10th at the First Church of the Brethren on York St.

On October 20th, Norristown and Pottstown will have a joint council meeting here in Pottstown to discuss common issues.

Jason is trying to organize a meeting between Council and PDIDA to work with existing business owner’s downtown.

It’s budget time. One item Jason mentioned was that for years 3, 4, & 5 it was hoped that Rickett’s would have become self-sustaining. Until he speaks with Olivet about the borough’s contribution for Rickett’s, that is a gray area for the budget. Money was not budgeted for those years hoping Rickett’s would not need assistance from the borough.

The Pottstown Authority wants a review of the water fund budget. They want costs moved into the general fund. This will be discussed further at Finance.

Motion to adopt the new rental ordinance passed unanimously.

The low-income riverfront senior housing project passed unanimously. The Lincoln underwear factory property, where the riverfront low-income senior housing will be built, was appraised at $470,000. The two lots are 1 ½ acres. Welcome to Pottsamucil.

The motion to authorize the joint venture between PSD and the borough passed unanimously (22 E. Second St. rehabilitation by PSD students).

The motion to authorize the submission of the Pottstown Skyline Lighting Project to the Montco Community Revitalization Board was approved and the project was made the number 1 priority as part of the vote. (Think boathouse row downtown).

Motion to approve the submission of an EPA grant for Brownfield cleanup at Bethlehem Steel aka the Pottstown Industrial Complex was approved.

Council labored over the Mrs. Smith’s site again regarding the last mustard colored building (Foil Company) and what to do with it. The options are: do nothing and keep the $85k, paint and keep $45k or do the mural and keep $45k. They chose Option 2, paint and keep $45k. $85k is in escrow from the developer for esthetics regarding this building. Nobody likes the color much.

The bills were paid and the meeting was adjourned.

Editor’s note: Councilor Kirkland (Ward 7) felt the need to give a diatribe regarding opposition to the low-income riverfront senior housing. Using a move from Tom Hylton’s playbook, Mr. Kirkland berated those opposed to this project as spreading misinformation and not caring about Pottstown. Mr. Kirkland, have you been paying attention to people who use this methodology? They end up like the Shade Tree Commission. A word to the wise is hopefully sufficient.

A crowd of approximately 50 people attended a meeting with Pottstown attorney Adam Sager Thursday evening at the Pottstown Diner to learn what regular citizens can do to clean up Pottstown and take back our community.

Pottstown Borough Council President Steve Toroney, Councilor Jody Rhoads (6) and Councilor Dan Weand (5) were also in attendance. I don’t recall seeing the councilors for Wards 1 & 2 (the core neighborhood). Code Blue (The Pulse) had a strong turn out along with representatives from CPR (Citizen’s For Pottstown Revitalization), bloggers Mo Gallant (Pottstown’s Blog) and Sue Repko (Positively Pottstown), and Brandie Kessler from the Pottstown Mercury.

Before Attorney Sager made his presentation, a Pottstown landlord described why he became a landlord in Pottstown 12 years ago. He wanted to make a difference and offer moderately priced housing (less than $600 a month rent). Now he is struggling under the weight of water/sewer/trash bills and other increased utility and service costs. He can’t afford it!

This gentleman rehabilitated 3 crack houses into nice apartment buildings. He said he feels the borough is his enemy. He also stated he can get $200 – $250 more a month if he rents to Section 8 recipients.

We then listened to a presentation from Attorney Sager about a plan of attack being used in many cities across the nation. Filling civil lawsuits against offending property owners for code and nuisance violations can have the desired outcome of taking the bad property, getting rid of the slumlord and the criminal element tenants and replacing them with decent people. We want to attract and retain good tenants while getting rid of the bad ones.

Attorney Sager said we should take a map of Pottstown and put pins in the map to pinpoint the problem areas and find a pattern.

Attorney Sager also discussed the possibility of taking property through eminent domain by the borough as another means of ridding Pottstown of undesirables.

A spirited discussion followed with many people asking questions like “Can we afford to pay the legal fees to sue people?” “Why isn’t the borough doing more?” and other similar questions. Residents and property owners in attendance were frustrated and in pain over the recent flurry of gun activity in the “core neighborhood”. Code Blue member Amy Francis said she no longer feels safe in her home. A property owner from Lower Pottsgrove said he just lost two good tenants because of the recent rash of shootings.

President Toroney answered questions about what steps the borough is taking to deal with slumlords such as water shut off on delinquent properties, the sheriff sale of properties, Portnoff’s more aggressive collection efforts etc… His answers were not always met with enthusiasm. The discussion became quite heated at times due to the high anxiety level of residents in attendance.

Despite varied opinions and temperaments, a good first step was taken. It was suggested that a Task Force be formed to tackle this escalating problem. Code Blue also mentioned they are developing a Community Land Trust that will help with this process along with the new rental ordinance the borough has developed.

The small borough of Trumbauersville, Bucks County, is ensuring their rental properties are up to snuff! Trumbauersville Council has approved annual rental inspections and property owners are required to have a residential rental license (yes, there is fee) for each unit. Much larger Quakertown has similar ordinances on their books. Trumbauersville is located in Milford Township over near Quakertown.

These new regulations are a direct result of problems which have been reported to the borough and in some cases involved out-of-town property owners (absentee landlords). There are 50 rental properties in this .4 square mile borough of 1059 souls.

Recently, a fire inspection of a vacant rental property found maggots in the refrigerator and 5 dump trucks full of trash inside. The Code Enforcement Officer will use a checklist and report his findings to the property owner who in turn has a set amount of time to make corrections or appeal them to Borough Council.

This ordinance has some teeth to it (imagine that). Landlords living more than 20 miles from town must has a property manager living or working within 20 miles of the borough or a license will not be granted. If tenants have three disruptive conduct reports on file within a twelve month period, they will be evicted (disruptive conduct includes public drunkenness and fighting for example). Violations of the new ordinance can lead to fines or imprisonment!

Some food for thought if we are serious about cleaning up slumlord and rental property issues in Pottstown. If tiny Trumbauersville can do it, why can’t Pottstown!?!